


it's in the name

by regs (hatae)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Blood Drinking, Dubious Consent, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Sexual Tension, Unhealthy Relationships, Vampire Tom Riddle, but there are magical beasts!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:34:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24167431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hatae/pseuds/regs
Summary: Regulus' mind involuntarily goes back to the portrait. It's a long shot, but his mouth opens involuntarily in panic when the stranger laps at the sensitive flesh of his throat, his teeth pressing against it, just shy of breaking his skin."You're Tom Riddle, aren't you?", he asks breathlessly. The stranger abruptly freezes.
Relationships: Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Regulus Black/Tom Riddle
Comments: 10
Kudos: 105





	it's in the name

**Author's Note:**

> alright so in this au there's no such thing as magic but there are magical creatures almost no one's aware of, soo... yeah :')  
> there is some dubcon in here, so if you're not comfortable with that, this is probably not for you <3
> 
> also eyy young tom riddle is OBVIOUSLY a piece of trash, but he's an interesting character and also...he's hot, so??

Regulus moodily shoves his hands further into his pockets as he lets his eyes rove over the empty streets of midnight London. He's sick and tired of all the yelling in his house. You'd think Sirius would've grown up after having to spend a year in a boarding school away from home.

But he's gotten even worse, joining a gang called the marauders (at least if his mother's screeched accusation are anything to go off of) and talking back at each and every given moment now that he’s home again.

Regulus shivers a bit. It's cold out and he wishes he'd put on a scarf. But he'd just wanted out of that house, before his mother came upstairs and dragged him out if his room to make him pick sides _again._

Regulus isn't a confrontational person by default and he's already on some mighty thin ice with his brother as it is. They'd kept in touch during the beginning of school year at first via post, but then his mother had gotten hysterical at him for still exchanging words with his brother after what he'd done during Christmas and he'd stopped.

Which means Sirius is pissed at him now as well and he hasn’t given Regulus the chance to explain in favor of scowling and slamming doors in his face each time Regulus all but breathes in his direction.

It sucks, because they used to be so close as well. Finding solace in each other in their less than ideal upbringing.

Now it's all just fucked and Regulus is sure that by the time Sirius turns eighteen next year he'll be out of that house before they can even blink.

Leaving Regulus alone to pick up the pieces, he's sure. Regulus, the _spare_. The one that smiles and waves for the press at his father's work events. The one that has to pretend the way his father's fingers dig into his shoulders doesn't hurt. The one his father has hissed at that if he also disappoints him he'll make sure he regret it his entire life.

He scowls and looks up at the sky. It's a starless night. He's wandered into quite a desolate part of town, with only the occasional street light and scarcely any traffic and people. Especially at this hour.

He sighs and watches the puff of smoke disappear before looking back down and almost tripping in shock.

There's a man standing on the other side of the road. A shiver tuns down his spine. He's almost sure he wasn’t there before. Though he was deep in thought, so maybe that's why.

Yeah, Regulus tells himself frantically as he tries not to think about the fact that the last car that passed did so five minutes ago, that's why. But that doesn't explain why the man isn't walking and instead just eerily staring at him. Regulus can't see his face in the dark from this distance, but he can't shake the feeling that whatever expression is on there. It isn't good.

He fastens his pace, taking his eyes for just a moment when he nearly trips again.

When he looks back the man is gone. His heart drops to his feet and dread so palpable he can practically _taste_ it runs through him. There's no way this is normal. There are no alleyways on the man's side for him to have disappeared into and even then, Regulus took his eyes off for just a _second._

He's just about to break into a run when a hand wraps around his arm and he's dragged off.

He's slammed into the wall of an alleyway so hard the breath is knocked out of him. His eyes water and he instinctively opens his mouth to scream.

"Shh", the man practically purrs and a hand is pressed over his mouth. It's only then that Regulus properly looks at the man. He's tall, taller than Regulus. Not enough to loom, but even so, his mere presence is enough to make Regulus feel small. He's wearing clothes his father would make him wear to one of his events, posh and classy and not at all fitting for a man that seems like the kind of person that would assault a teenage boy in the middle of the night.

Neither is his face. From where he’s pressed up against him Regulus gets an uncomfortably close view.

The stranger is incredibly beautiful. He has delicate features and black, curly hair that match Sirius in terms of charmingly messy. His cheekbones are high and aristocratic. His lips are red and full and pulled in a cocky grin. Though his eyes are piercing and hooded. They appear completely black and it takes Regulus a while to realize that this is because his pupils are just that blown. In what, Regulus doesn’t know, but he can guess.

He’s also shockingly familiar. Regulus stares at him with big eyes. He's seen that face before, staring back at him from a book the library when Regulus had done some self-indulgent research on the taboo topic of vampires. Something he's concluded not to exist after it. Deeming it impossible after all. Along with werewolves, merpeople and ghosts. There's simply not enough evidence to back up the many claims people.

The portrait dated back from 1890, though. Nearly a hundred years ago. And this man- _boy?_ -doesn’t look a day older than the portrait. He looks about the same age as Regulus himself.

The boy's grin has only grown in the teenager’s silent shock. Regulus’ eyes flicker to his sharp teeth (fangs, Regulus mind helpfully subsides), disbelief coursing through him. Surely it's a little trinket he bought. Just to scare people. Perhaps this is all a big joke-

"Good boy", he drawls, taking his hand away. Only then does it occur to Regulus to start struggling, instead of trying to place the boy.

He puts his hand on his chest and pushes, snarling. He might as well be pushing a boulder, the boy doesn’t budge. It only results in him grabbing his wrists and slamming them against the wall next to Regulus’ face and pressing his body even closer against the teenager to stop him from kicking out. His handsome face is so close to Regulus' for a second that he feels his breath against his lips, then he burrows it in Regulus throat and inhales deeply. Regulus tries to recoil, but there's nowhere to go. He’s growing more scared by the second, feels like he might throw up with the intensity of his fear.

He tuts. "Don't even bother, darling."

Regulus' mind involuntarily goes back to the picture. It's a long shot, but his mouth opens involuntarily in panic when the stranger laps at the sensitive flesh of his throat, his teeth pressing against it, just shy of breaking his skin.

"You're Tom Riddle, aren't you?", he asks breathlessly.

The stranger abruptly freezes.

"It's been a long time since anyone referred to me by that name….I have killed for less, child.”, Regulus’ breath catches in his throat. “However, this is quite interesting. Especially coming from someone as young as you.”

Regulus lets out a stuttering sigh of relief when Riddle-the same Tom Riddle from the portrait, born in 1872-leans back to look at him. His pupils are still blown (in hunger, Regulus realizes duly) and his fingernails dig into his wrists, but he seems willing to listen to Regulus. Which means he has to be smart.

"How do you know me, boy?"

"You're a vampire, I've done research, because your sort are simply so divine.", Regulus breathes, putting just enough awe in his voice for it to be believable. He also hopes to God that he is right and that this kid isn't just Tom Riddle’s grandson or something, that he isn't just some creep looking for an easy victim to sexually assault. Someone he should’ve pulled the father card on.

Well, it’s too late now. He’s gone ahead and said it already.

But Riddle chuckles, pleased. Regulus's heart drops when his fang appear again. It makes him feel like he's prey. "Is that so?

"Yes", he lies vehemently. "I've always looked up to you, mister Riddle. So much."

Riddle's smirk is plastered to his face. "And yet...your heart is beating incredibly fast. One could say it’s a clear sign that you’re lying…thought I suppose that could be attributed to excitement as well. Yes, I can hear it, don't look so shocked now, mister...?"

"Black. Regulus Black", he says quickly. "My father works in the government, you've probably heard of him."

It's not quite a threat, but more of a reminder that if he mysteriously goes missing there will be people looking for him. Capable people.

"Oh", Riddle says pleasantly, but his grip tightens so much Regulus' bones grind together. He gasps, clearly that didn’t come over well. "How very kind of you to mention that to me… _Regulus_."

He says his name like one would to a lover. Regulus shudders.

"But what is a pretty, rich boy like you doing outdoors at this hour, I can’t help but wonder?", Riddle asks, his voice soft as velvet and Regulus feels like a mouse caught in a cat's trap, being played with before being eaten.

"My mother was fighting with my brother, I just wanted to be out of the house for a while", he says, honestly again, afraid he’ll sense the lie and get even angrier.

"You are the youngest?", Riddle asks.

"Uh...yes, but I don't see how that-"

"It does matter a great deal, Regulus. You see, I know how things work in households such as yours. I know what matters most", with that he leans forward again, nosing at Regulus' throat. Regulus feels like he might actually faint. “You are not the heir…not the priority."

Regulus lets out a dry sob as the implication of those words sink in and he feels Riddle smirk against his throat before there's a sharp pain. Immediately a pleasant haze washes over Regulus, making him forget ever being afraid in the first place. He goes lax and Riddle hums pleasantly as he feeds off of him. Regulus has never felt more calm, more at ease. He thinks he’d like to feel like this forever. His eyes flutter close and he lets out a content sigh.

A little voice somewhere in the back of Regulus' mind is hesitantly speaking up, telling him to do something. That he'll die if he doesn’t.

Then Riddle is leaning away and licking at the wound. It closes instantly and Regulus is left panting, staring at Riddle and his full, bloody lips. The vampire (because Regulus can’t deny that particular fact anymore now) looks down at him, assessing. Like he’s looking at a particularly difficult math equation. Regulus hates math, he wishes he would stop.

"My father was a duke called Tom Riddle. He was human. My mother was a vampire. She fell madly in love with him for his good looks. I got them from him, as you can see", Riddle says bitterly and Regulus, in his sluggish state, can’t imagine what he's so upset about. He's always wished he looked more like his father, like Sirius with his roguishly handsome looks. Instead of always being called 'beautiful' and 'dainty', _just_ like his mother. Though she is anything but dainty anymore.

"My mother, ever the delightful woman, made him addicted to the sensation you just felt. The feeling of being fed on. It feels good, doesn’t it? Like all your worries are suddenly gone. Like you want to feel like that all the time", Riddle says, caressing Regulus' cheek. He's let go of Regulus' arms, he realizes belatedly.

"Now imagine that during sex", he says lowly and he presses a leg between Regulus', as if to prove a point. The teenager groans, letting his head fall back. Practically inviting the vampire to go again.

_What the fuck are you doing,_ the voice now screams, and that snaps Regulus out of it. He snaps his head back down and sees Riddle look at him with wonder and hungry desire on his face. Like he's never tried that before. Then again, who else would’ve ever given him that push to tell them his life story? Regulus looks at the monster before him with dawning horror.

"Oops", Riddle smiles attractively and he grabs Regulus' wrist, bringing it up to his mouth. Regulus struggles, but it's no use.

"Mister Riddle, please don't", he begs. "I'll do anything."

"We'll see", Riddle says and he looks so sweet when he bites into Regulus' wrist that he forgets for a second to be afraid. As soon as his fangs break skin and his venom enters his bloodstream the younger boy goes boneless again. Pleasure courses through him as his mouth drops open.

"Fuck", he moans as Riddle gazes up at him through lowered eyelashes as he drinks from his pulse point. He's never felt like this. Overcome with this sensory overload. With the last bit of shame he still somewhat possesses he tries to shift away from the leg pressing against his dick. Riddle frowns and instead presses even closer.

Regulus stutters out a sigh at that and flushes as he, inevitably, starts to get hard.

He should feel ashamed about this, not only is this a _man_ that is doing this to him, which is already bad enough in his parent’s eyes. It's also a vampire literally slowly draining him and yet here he is getting _horny._

But he doesn’t feel ashamed, there's no room for that anymore. He presses closer against Riddle. Using his free arm to claw at Riddle's shoulder. Attempting to pull him even closer.

Riddle groans as well and just as black spots begin to appear in front Regulus' eyes, he pulls back.

He can’t help the gasp of disappointment that leaves him. Riddle shushes him, sounding a little breathless himself, gently licking the wound at Regulus' wrist, healing it instantly.

"I've never tried that, but I can see the appeal", Riddle pants in wonder. "Guess my mother wasn’t completely insane, after all."

"Mister Riddle", Regulus says feebly and he tries to grab him again, but his limbs won't work right. He's sure he would've slid to the floor if not for Riddle's leg still between his.

"You said you'd do anything, right?", Riddle asks.

Regulus nods. He vaguely remembers saying that.

"I'm holding you to that", he says, as pats his cheek. Regulus immediately leans into him, but he’s already pulling away. "Count yourself lucky, Regulus Black."

And with that he takes a step away from him. Instantly Regulus is on the ground, staring up at the creature in front of him.

"No", he slurs.

"Yes, darling. I've decided I like you quite a bit. But, more importantly, I can use you", the grin Riddle gives him now in cruel and completely genuine. Strangely enough it doesn't make him more handsome. Instead he looks every bit like the monster he actually is, his eyes flash red and it's almost enough to get Regulus out of his high-like state. He imagines this is what his most rebelious classmates feel like when they smoke grass.

_Almost_ enough.

"Please", he says quietly, anything to feel like that again.

"No. Not now. I really must go. What school do you attend?", he asks unexpectedly.

"Beauxbatons", Regulus answers immediately.

"Good. I'll see you soon, then. Remember your promise, Regulus Black."

And with those words he's gone. Just as quick as he'd appeared.

Regulus sits there for a long while, until eventually the pleasant haze is gone and all he's left with is fear and disgust. He gets up on unsteady feet and retches, shameful tears run over his face as he recollects what happened. What he _did_. Suddenly he just wants to be home and have Sirius run his hand through his hair like he always used to do when they were younger.

The tears don't stop as he shakily makes his way back home, expecting Riddle to turn up around every corner, with his sharp fangs and his mocking simper. He looks down at his arms, where bruises are already forming. Mockingly reminding him of his reaction. How eager he’d been to be sucked dry. How he’d practically turned to putty in that monster's hands.

He opens the door and shrugs out of his jacket. It's difficult with how hard he's trembling. Blood loss apparently didn't help with the cold he was already feeling.

"Reg?"

Regulus looks up at the whispered voice. It's Sirius standing at the top of the stairs, clearly having just gotten out of bed to check on him.  
His brother takes one look at him, before he's storming down two steps at a time and taking him in his arms.

Regulus collapses in them, trying to stifle his sobs. He doesn’t want to wake his parents.

"What happened?", his older brother asks frantically, but Regulus shakes his head. He can't say it. How would Sirius even believe him when he hardly believes it himself?

"Come on", Sirius says and he gently grabs his hands and leads him up to his room. It's the furthest away from their parents'.

Regulus lets him tuck him into bed and bites his lip to stop his crying. If his mother were here now she’d tell him he was being pathetic.

Sirius, however, looks close to tears himself as he stares down at Regulus' exposed wrists. Now marred with finger shaped bruises.

"Damnit Reg, what the hell happened?", he asks desperately. Regulus isn't cruel enough to let Sirius' imagination run wild just because he's too busy crying to answer properly. He swallows the new hysterical wave of tears away.

"Whatever you're thinking, it's not that", he says and his voice sounds completely wrecked. "I swear, Sirius."

"Then what?"

"Got mobbed", he lies. "Shoved me around a little bit after he found out I had nothing on me."

Sirius looks positively murderous and if he wasn’t so fucked up he'd probably be touched that Sirius still cared, despite everything. "Why were you even outside, you bloody idiot?"

And Regulus really isn't one to get emotional or hurt just because someone calls him names, but his breathing turns irregular anyway. "I can't stand all the yelling all the time. I just needed to get away. I didn't...I didn't think-"

Sirius lays down next to him and pulls him close, so that Regulus is tucked comfortably against his chest. Regulus closes his eyes and lets his brother's familiar warmth calm him down. It occurs to him once again how easily he could've died today.

How Riddle could've probably ended his life like _that._ One minute of drinking longer and he’d have been dead. One turn of his hand when he’d held Regulus by the face and he could’ve snapped his neck. Just like _that._

He hopes he never sees that thing again. But somehow, he doubts it. Riddle doesn’t seem like the sort of man to just say things he doesn’t intend to follow through with.

"I thought I was going to die", he says quietly,.

Sirius hand stills where he's running it though his younger brother’s hair. It's getting long. He's sure his mother will start bitching about it soon. He shocks himself with his own thoughts. Then again, as he thought he was dying, not once did he think about her.

"I'd never let that happen", Sirius says and they both know how empty that statement is. "I'll protect you from now on."

"How? You're gone the entire time", he says tonelessly and Sirius pulls him even closer.

"I'll try to do better from now on, Reg."

* * *

Sirius tries, but not hard enough. He still backtalks and at the beginning of the schoolyear Regulus watches him step on a train to Hogwarts with hollow eyes. Sirius smiles weakly at him one last time before he goes to find his friends.

Regulus goes to Beauxbatons the next day and greets Evan Rosier and Cassius Parkinson with a beam that feels entirely too fake.

"Two more years, guys. Just two more years and we're out of this hellhole", Cassius complains as he tugs at his blue uniform. He’s always hated it. It’s too ‘girly’ for his taste.

(“Should’ve gone to Durmstrang, then”, Regulus snaps when he complains about it.  
“I would’ve if my dad wasn’t the principal of this stupid school”, Cassius snaps back and that’s that.)

"Don't let your father hear that. In case you forgot: you're supposed to take over the principal-position after you graduate, Cas", Evan says with a small grin.

"Yeah. But that'll be different. I'll be in charge, then”, Cassius grins as they enter the classroom. People make room for them immediately.

"And don’t you even start. We all know how much you love finances. Good luck being assistant director of Gringotts Bank", Cassius says nastily. Regulus looks at Evan, waiting for his comeback, but the other boy is staring at something.

"Who is that talking to miss Maxime?"

“Must be a new student.”

Regulus looks up and his heart almost stops as he takes in the boy angelically smiling at their obviously charmed teacher. Something must show on his face, because Evan asks: "Regulus, what's wrong?"

As if on cue Riddle looks up and catches his gaze. He smiles and walks over. Regulus can't move, frozen in fear. Somehow he'd tried to convince himself over the summer that it was all a dream, a mere figment of his imagination. Just his mind running wild because of the stress of his parents fighting with Sirius all the time.

But there Riddle is. In the flesh. Just as he promised. Wearing a Beauxbatons uniform and looking like he was born to wear.

He looks even more ethereal in the light of day, the sunlight framing his face like a halo. Girls stare at him unabashedly as he passes and giggle to each other.

Regulus wants to yell in their face and tell them how stupid they're being. Falling right into the vampire’s trap. Then Riddle is there and putting his arms around him and all Regulus' hope of this being a hallucination somehow are shattered.

"Regulus, hello!", Riddle says charmingly. "We're in the same class! How quaint!"

Who even uses the world ‘quaint’ anymore, Regulus thinks as he stares at him. In this light he can see that his eyes are actually dark grey. Much like his own. Though he's sure his own are a bit lighter and leaning more towards the blue side instead on the black one.

"Reg, you know this guy?"

Though he's still smiling, the look Riddle gives him is cold and warning.

Regulus finds his voice again. "Uh, yeah. Guys, this is Tom Riddle. We're...friends."

"Oh, I think we're a little bit more than that, Regulus", Riddle laughs and Regulus feels all the blood drain from his face. He chances a look at his friends. They’re frowning. What the _fuck_ does Riddle think he's saying?

"We're practically bothers, aren't we? My mom knows Walburga, I've been coming over to his house in the summer holidays for years."

"Oh really? He's never talked about you", Evan says, but Regulus sees him drop his guard. Cassius is beginning to smile, already sensing the charisma and raw power Riddle’s emitting and seeing how he can use him for his own gain. They're actually buying this. Riddle is pulling this off.

"Ouch", Riddle says good-naturedly. Then he adds, innocently. "I thought you said you looked up to me, Reg."

_Reg._ The nickname sounds so wrong coming from him. Though at least he’s not saying it breathily or _seductively_ like he undoubtedly would’ve done had they been alone.

"Of course I do...Tom", he says and Riddle smiles, though the look in his eyes and the way his fingers dig into his shoulders tells Regulus that whatever it is the vampire's got planned, he’s not going to like it.

**Author's Note:**

> ok so in this au vampires can't be made, they're all from old families. they can reproduce with humans and tom is a result of that. he's a half vampire and he can absolutely survive on just food alone (though human blood is still very appealing to half vampires), but he's a psychopathic asshole who obviously loves the fact that he's related to a family of vampires, so obviously he's gonna go ahead and not do that lol
> 
> i'd also like to think regulus took up this interest in vampires after his parents 'subtly' alluded to the fact that they might be descendants from such a family (but so far down and with so many humans mingled in that there's hardly any vampire blood left, like we're talking 1/10000th... tho that famous black madness and bloodlust might something to do with that?)
> 
> ((also durmstrang and beauxbatons are just normal high schools in london here, while hogwarts is a boarding school in scotland))
> 
> idk maybe i'll write another chapter if you guys like it, but for now i'll leave it here ;)
> 
> [ my tumblr](http://pleasanttales.tumblr.com).


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